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Old 16-05-2009, 18:37   #49
roverhi
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Kona, Hawaii
Boat: Pearson 35 #108
Posts: 742
Heads up

The Zassenhaus hand operated knee grinders are apparently no longer being made. If you want one, better hit the net and find one. They are expensive but built to last. Ours is going on 35 years. Most importantly, they reliably deliver the coarse ground coffee, without powder, needed for a French Press Coffee Maker. Most cheap grinders deliver a lot of fine powder that turns the brew to mud.
Zassenhaus 156 Conical Burr Coffee Knee Mill - Manual Hand Grinder: * They are easy to use at sea. Just sit down on a lee berth and grind. You can use one hand to hang on if necessary.

Here is a link to a stainless steel, insulated French Press that seems like a decent one. Amazon.com: Thermos Nissan 34-Ounce Vacuum Insulated Stainless-Steel Gourmet Coffee Press: Kitchen & Dining There is also a German one that looks, well, typically German. You could use it as a hammer in an emergency. Frieling 6-cup Stainless Steel Insulated French Press Restaurant Quality

What I like about the French Press is they are relatively safe to use at sea. After the ground coffee is in the pot, just pour in the hot water, put the lid on and you have great coffee in 4 minutes. Limited exposure to wearing the contents of the hot water or coffee pot. We used a Melita Filter into a thermos on our last cruise and it was always scary making coffee if there was any sea running. Had to hold the Drip apparatus with one hand and pour water with the other. Fortunately, we could strap ourselves in so didn't have to have a hand to hang on with. Still, quite often spilled the coffee and/or water if it was at all rough which was more than half the time. Though nothing beats the ability of our Stainless Steel Thermos Brand Thermos to keep the coffee drinkable for up to 24 hours.

Have no use for relying on electrickery for my brew. Something that important shouldn't be left the vagaries of little electrons. One thing is certain about electricals, they are going to fail, it's just a matter of when.

Still drinking my Kona Coffee.

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35.
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